The Sligo Leitrim DSL Representative Squad under the astute management of John Loftus with his assistants Lee Marshall and Glen Shannon were at home to thee highly fancied Galway League in the first round of this year’s Oscar Traynor Competition. The stakes were much higher this season with the winners qualifying for the next round while the losers would effectively find themselves in a playoff situation. The showgrounds was the centre stage for what turned out to be a great game despite once again the low attendance. Sligo Leitrim DSL started the brighter playing at a high Tempo Barry O Mahoney immediately stamping his authority in mid field with assistance from the firebrand Ross Mc Loughlin who covered every blade of grass. The Galway League with a big back four of Keith Greaney Arron Finnerty Conor Murray and Joey Burke were working very hard to stem the flow but the Sligo Leitrim DSL took the lead on twenty-three minutes when Mark Mc Callion was rewarded when his effort found the bottom right hand corner of the Galway net giving keeper Peter Healy no chance. Galway continued to press but Sligo Leitrim had in Steve Feeney a player of immense presence flanked on either side by Conor Griffin Aaron Murrin and Ruadhan Feeney they dealt efficiently with anything that came their way while keeper Danny O Leary was rock solid. Ten minutes from half time and the home side struck again this time a brilliant effort from Mark Mc Callion putting his side two goals to the good. Galway stilled battled on with Conor Foley and Jason Finn driving forward in midfield. But they still found the home side in superb form with Ryan Mc Manus and Mark Mc Goldrick linking up well in attack.
The second half was minutes old when Sligo Leitrim were award a corner on the right Ruadhan Feeney floated across a superb ball and Steve Feeney rose majestically to power his header pass the despairing efforts of the Galway net minder Peter Healy. This left the home side with three nil advantage and it looked all over. Johnny Lynch replaced Aaron Murrin and Keith Nibbs came on for Ryan Mc Manus. Twenty-five minutes from time and the dynamics of the game changed somewhat when substitute Ronan Caldwell rose highest in the Sligo Leitrim penalty area and deftly flicked home an unstoppable effort that gave Galway a lifeline. The goal gave the visitors new hope and they up the tempo of their game pressing forward at every available opportunity and seven minutes from time they were right back in contention when Ruadhan Feeney under massive pressure in attempting to clear fired the ball high into his own net. Sligo Leitrim despite the setback stuck to their task and rather than just defend they went back into attack mode and in the end saw the game out in some style to claim a highly deserved victory. The Management staff and players of both sides can take a lot of positives from this game with some excellent performances. Sligo Leitrim have in this squad and an exciting and vibrant bunch of very talent players and if they can up their fitness levels they will prove a major handful to any opposition.
The league would also like to extend a sincere welcome to our new representative Team Sponsor Quayside Shopping Centre Sligo and in particular to Christine Dolan Centre Manager / Head of Marketing at Quayside. What a way to kick off. The management and staff at the Showgrounds Sligo for the use of the facilities in particular Secretary Brendan Lacken Michael Mulligan and Martin O Connor. Groundsmen Martin and Joe Cleary for the immaculate surface at the showgrounds. The league backroom staff of Robert Kennedy and Teresa McCabe.
Sligo Leitrim DSL: D O Leary R Feeney A Murrin B O Mahoney S Feeney R Mc Loughlin M Mc Callion C Griffin R Mc Manus M Mc Goldrick C Kelly D Scanlon J Lynch D Healy S Armstrong B Mc Garry K Nibbs J Mannion.
Management; John Loftus L Marshall Glen Shannon Kit man M Mc Tiernan
Galway League: P Healy K Greaney A Finnerty C Murray J Burke C Foley J Finn G Delaney B Moran S Keogh C O Donovan R Caldwell K Fitzpatrick R Shaunessey R Doherty E Shaw S Walsh J Healy:
Management: G Gorman P Carpenter Alan Geogh J O Toole.
Match Officials: Referee. Paul Kilcoyne Assistants S Mc Garry and T Oates.
